Category Archives: Deodorant

As already spoken about on this blog, aerosol deodorants are a big no no for the environment. Sorry. Read my post on Aromaco Solid Deodorant about why.

I know some people are cautious when attempting to make the switch to natural deodorants. I was too. You’re probably heard that there’s a period during the change where you sweat and smell more and it’s gross. Well, that’s kinda true but with the right precautions and keeping at it, you’ll be fine in no time.

Sweat doesn’t smell. It’s the bacteria on the skin that smells. Most antiperspirants actually use ingredients that plug up your sweat pores, leading to bacteria getting trapped and decomposing, which is what makes the smell ten times worse.

All of Lush’s deodorants are designed so they don’t do this, and actually once your body is used to it, you can go for a lot longer without building up that horrible B.O. smell. One of these natural deodorants is The Guv’ner. This is a powdered form of deodorant which makes it super absorbent for excess sweat and moisture.

The main ingredients are Sodium Bicarbonate, Lycopodium Powder, Magnesium Trisilicate, Powdered Charcoal and Calamine Powder and then powered forms of Sage, Lavender and Patchouli in lesser quantities. All of which are great at absorbing moisture. You can place a wet hand in Lycopodium Powder and it will instantly dry. This shows how effective it is at absorbing moisture and therefore sweat, which means body odour producing bacteria can’t grow.

Calamine Powder is incredible calming for delicate skin too which is great for those who choose to shave their underarms. Sage and Lavender Powders are also a great addition for their antibacterial qualities.

All these ingredients with the addition of Rose and Vetivert give The Guv’ner a herbal, earthy scent which would definitely cover up the worst of smells.

To use you simply apply the deodorant to the palm of your hands and rub under the arms after showering or simply when you want to feel dry and refreshed after a long day. Whilst The Greeench is more effective on lighter coloured clothes, the dark colour of The Guv’ner mean it’s great for darker clothes.

Personally I prefer to use a solid deodorant like Aromaco or Sunflower after my shower or bath and keep a powder for use on the go or for when I’ve worked up a sweat on a hot day.

Right, here’s the thing. Naked, solid, natural deodorant is the way to go. Stop the roll-ons, stop the aerosols and go packaging free.

Roll-on deodorants are often packaged in plastic, and, because they are usually made up of a thicker outer layer and a thinner inner layer, they are hard to recycle. Recycling two types of plastic in one item is not yet a cost or carbon efficient process, meaning it would cost more to recycle a roll-on than it would to simply make another.

In terms of aerosols, yes they can be recycled. But it’s difficult to do so; to be recycled they must be completely clean, dry and empty, and more often than not they end up in landfill. Furthermore, the compressed gases used in aerosols have a harmful effect on CO2 emissions.

Naked, packaging free products like Aromaco are a far better option.

Furthermore, sweat doesn’t actually smell. It’s the bacteria on the skin that smells. Most antiperspirants actually use ingredients that plug up your sweat pores, leading to bacteria getting trapped and decomposing, which is what makes the smell 10x worse.

Lush deodorants are designed so they don’t do this. They let your body do its thing, yet still keeping you fresh and dry.

Aromaco contains sodium bicarbonate which absorbs excess sweat and reduces the acidity of the skin to create an environment hostile to bacterial growth. It also contains astringent Witch Hazel (meaning it causes pore contraction, preventing excess sweat), and anti-bacterial chamomile vinegar which also has a cooling effect. Lastly, Patchouli Oil is added as the main scent, leaving you smelling sweet.

It applies exactly like you would use a roll on, you just grab the whole chunk and glide it up and down your armpit or wherever you should want it. It glides so easily because it’s so smooth!

I find that Aromaco is the best of the best. It’s one of my ‘desert island’ products for sure! It has such a lovely cooling feeling and the patchouli makes your underarms smell fresh all day.

I honestly tell you it really works. I find it so much better than using antiperspirants and other generic deodorants, and because of the negative impact they have on the environment I don’t really see why you wouldn’t make the switch!

A word of warning though – there is a small adjustment period if you decide to make the switch to a natural deodorant. I had about a week where I was sweating more than usual and smelling bad, but actually, that’s a good thing as it means your body is sweating out all the toxins and bad stuff from your old deodorant. Once your body gets used to a gentler product, you’ll be absolutely fine.

It’s a good idea to keep your chunk of Aromaco either in the fridge or in a little pot, or at least wrapped up in greeseproof paper as it can dry out if left for too long. If that happens all you need to do it add a little bit of water to your pot and it should be as good as new.

Here‘s a really good article on why you should be using natural deodorants, and here you can check out Aromaco for yourself on the Lush UK website.